Mercan Dede

Guided by Sufi ideals of equilibrium along with an affinity for both ancestral and contemporary sounds, Mercan Dede ranks as one of Turkey’s leading musical ambassadors abroad. Electronic and traditional audiences alike regard him as a distinctive figure within global music circles. Across more than 100 singles issued under nine separate aliases—including Arkin Allen, Poundmaker, and Blueman—he has assembled a vast catalog that spans extensive stylistic ground. Raised during the 1970s in an impoverished Turkish settlement, Mercan absorbed local traditions centered on the ney flute, darbukah hand drum, and kanun zither. After completing his education in Istanbul, he moved to Canada and took up DJ work to cover living expenses. As his command of house music deepened, he also sought to blend in wider global influences. Performing as Arkin Allen, he earned broad attention across Western audiences for his tribal and house sets. His first outing under the Mercan Dede moniker arrived in 1995 with the album Sufi Dreams, which drew quick notice at home. Before long he was appearing at venues and events across Turkey. Later projects such as Journeys of a Dervish in 1999, Seyahatname in 2001, and Nar in 2002 drew in an expanding roster of players. While touring distant regions, Dede routinely invited local musicians who embraced his goal of creating music unbound by culture or era. Both Water in 2005 and Breath in 2006 reached the top of the BBC’s world-music rankings, establishing him as the first Turkish artist to secure a number-one album in England. He progressed from filling sizable Turkish clubs to appearing before crowds numbering in the tens of thousands. The 2007 album 800, issued to mark the 800th anniversary of Rumi’s birth, led world-music charts in both Europe and North America.